‘Kind man was much more than Vader’

MARK Hamill has hailed his Star Wars co-star Dave Prowse as “a kind man” who was “much more than Darth Vader”.

Prowse, the Bristol weightlifterturned-actor who played the villainous Sith lord in the original Star Wars trilogy, died after a short illness, his agent confirmed yesterday.

The towering 6ft 6in performer also earned an MBE for playing the Green Cross Code Man to promote road safety.

Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker opposite Prowse, tweeted: “So sad to hear David Prowse has passed. He was a kind man & much more than Darth Vader.

“Actor-Husband-Father-Member of the Order of the British Empire-3 time British Weightlifting Champion & Safety Icon the Green Cross Code Man. He loved his fans as much as they loved him.”

Agent Thomas Bowington confirmed Prowse’s death in a statement, saying: “May the force be with him, always!”

He added: “Though famous for playing many monsters for myself and all who knew Dave and worked with him he was a hero in our lives.

“A constant source of inspiration, encouragement and kindness. A truly and deeply heart wrenching loss for us and millions of fans all over the world!

“But the great power of Prowse in our lives will always stay with us! A loving husband, father and grandfather.”

Prowse won the role playing Vader due to his impressive physique, but with his West Country accent deemed not quite suitable, the part was instead voiced by James Earl Jones.

He represented England in weightlifting at the Commonwealth Games in the early 1960s before embarking on an acting career.

Prowse was reportedly spotted by Star Wars director George Lucas when playing a bodyguard in the 1971 film A Clockwork Orange, and invited to audition for the roles of Darth Vader and Chewbacca.

He once told the BBC he chose Vader over his hairy co-star because “you always remember the bad guys”.